The packing or crating of products, such as non-riding lawn mowers and the like, has in the past been an awkward, time-consuming, labor intensive operation. Prior shipping units of this general type were beset with one or more of the following shortcomings: (a) the unit embodied an inordinate number of components; (b) the unit provided ineffective protection for the accommodated product; (c) the unit was incapable of effectively supporting a plurality of like units when arranged in stacked relation; and d) the components comprising the unit were of costly, bulky and complex construction.